keeping {the pout pout fish} out!

Have you read this sweet story?

 The pout-pout fish is all bummed out and spreading his dreary-drearies all over the place.

His friends try to cheer him up but it just doesn't work...until he gets a kiss from a pretty pink fish!  Then he realizes that when he turns his frown upside down it's really a smile and he swims around spreading cheery-cheeries instead.  :)

I love love love it.  The kids do too...especially if you read it with your mouth all pointed down and in a sad, pitiful voice.  {Note: this is hard to do after you read it a few times and your kids start doing the voice with you.  So funny!}

I used it this year as one of our Class Meeting focus stories.  We talked about what makes the kids sad and how we can cheer up our friends when they aren't happy.

I don't have a pattern for the fish, it's just a big jellybean shape with a spout for the tail.  The kids cut their own eyes, fins and hair from the scrap bucket.  Then we hang them in the hallway to keep his dreary-drearies out of our room!

Here's a {cuter version} of the sheet to print off to go along with your artwork.  We read the story, discussed and made the chart in our 45 minute meeting.  I put out the supplies for the fish for morning work the next day and they were easily able to make those within 10-15 minutes.

No spreading drearie-drearies today.  Just cheery-cheeries!  :)